Remembering Charlie
by Rugerr701
Summary: Guile, Chun Li, and Sawada reflect over their fallen comrade, Charles Nash. Deeply emotional.
1. Guile

Street Fighter: Remembering Charlie  
  
Chapter 1: Guile  
  
Colonel William Guile stood over the grave of his fallen comrade. The high noon sun shined down on the back of his neck, but he was impervious to its warmth. All he could think of was his lost friend, Sgt Charles Nash. Every day and night, he replayed the scene over and over again in his mind. Charlie was battling the nefarious leader of Shadowloo, Bison. He threw every attack he could summon against the sinister warlord, but to no avail. Guile rushed to Charlie's aid, but his efforts were too late. With one blast of psycho energy, Bison crushed Charlie. All Guile could do was stand there and watch. It took Bison's evil, hollow laugh to get Guile angry enough to take action. He summoned a Sonic Boom attack, but Bison quickly teleported. The Sonic Boom crushed the wall that was once behind Bison. Guile tried to grab Charlie's lifeless body, but in a blinding flash of light, it was gone. It took all the strength Guile had to get out of the falling Shadowloo fortress, but once out safely, all he could do was cry for his best friend.  
  
It was that very scenario that went through his mind as he stood over Charlie's grave. The shades over his eyes couldn't hide the pain he was feeling. All he wanted was his best friend back.  
  
"Black suits are a good look for you." Guile snapped back into reality to see who it was. It was another friend. Zhang Chun-Li, agent of Interpol, and the woman who Charlie loved. "Of course, with all the camouflage you wear, it's hard to tell most of the time." She wore a casual black dress.  
  
"Li. It's good to see you." Truer words could have never been spoken. Only she could have known how much pain he was feeling. She had already lost her father to Bison, and Charlie's death was the second strike in her war with Shadowloo. Bison had brought her just as much pain in her life as he did in Guile's, if not more.  
  
"Your superiors told me you'd be here. I don't blame you. I'm still trying to heal too." Guile replied, "Thanks for coming down here. I know how much he meant to you. You must be hurting as much as I am. I've been trying not to let his death get the better of me, but I can't help it. We were in training together. He helped me keep my head up. We weren't just soldiers, we were like brothers."  
  
Guile's mind lapsed into his memories again. This time, it was during basic training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. Guile was fresh out of high school, and wanting a life of action, he joined the Air Force. Day one was so much like the movie "Full Metal Jacket", including a drill instructor that would hurl insults at a volume that would make your nose bleed.  
  
"Alright, you pimple-faced, pussy-whipped, pissant pansies!!! Allow me to introduce myself!!! I am Drill Sgt. Ditka, and during the next six weeks, you will be pushed to the limit!!! Because Uncle Sam doesn't want cream puffs for soldiers!!! He wants brick walls!!!" Quickly, he turned to Guile. "You look like a perfect example of a cream puff, rookie!!! State your name, marshmallow man!!!" This was all Guile needed. To be singled out on the first day of training. Well, go with the flow. "Private William Guile, sir!" "Guile!!! That's sounds like a tough name!!! Are you a tough guy, Private Guile!?!?!" "Sir, yes sir, I'm a tough guy!!!" "NO YOU'RE NOT!!! YOU'RE A SCRAWNY LITTLE BROOM HANDLE!!! That haircut actually fits you, Private Guile!!! So now I can use you to sweep up the dog shit in my backyard!!!" Guile felt sick to his stomach. This wasn't at all what he wanted to go through.  
  
"Private Guile, have you ever seen 'Full Metal Jacket'? Do you know whose name you remind me of???!!??" "Oh no, here it comes," Guile thought in the back of his mind. "That's right! YOU REMIND ME OF PILE!!! THAT FAT SUICIDAL FREAK SHOW THAT CAPPED HIS DRILL SERGEANT, THEN TOOK ONE IN THE MOUTH!!!! Are you going to sneak a donut into these barracks?" "Sir, no sir!" "Are you going to go gun crazy and try to shoot me?!?!?" "Sir, no sir!" "Bullshit!!! You're going to pop a donut in your foot locker and get all the other boys in trouble, aren't you, Private Pile?!?!?!" "Sir, no sir!" Guile fought hard to fight the tears in his eyes. At that moment, he heard a snicker. Fortunately, so did Sgt. Ditka.  
  
"Who the hell was that?!? Who thinks private Guile's name is funny?!? Speak up, smart ass, or I'll break of a part of my foot and leg in each and every one of your asses!!!!"  
  
"That would be me, sir!" A blonde haired, well-built soldier spoke up. He managed to hide his smirk just in time. "Who the hell are you?!?"  
  
"Private Charles Nash, sir!" "Charles Nash??? Are you some sort of a banker?!? A cool cat?!? A daddy's little boy with an inheritance up his ass?!? And you want to laugh at Guile? They call you Charlie where you're from?!?! I'd give you a charlie horse right now if I wanted to, but I'll settle with an upset stomach!!!" And with that, Sgt. Ditka punched Charlie in the gut. Surprisingly, Charlie took the punch quite well, only doubling over half way, never hitting the floor. Ditka was impressed. "Now that's a tough guy, Private Guile!!!"  
  
Later that week, in the mess hall, Guile was eating his lunch. The main thing on his mind was how to bulk up. Sgt. Ditka was right. He was kind of scrawny. Even if the army food put some weight on him, he would still have to find a way to build some real muscle if he wanted to survive. That's when Charlie stepped in.  
  
"Mind if I take a seat?" Charlie asked. "Sure, if you don't mind sitting next to a pile." Guile remembered Charlie's reaction to Ditka's barbs. "Hey, I'm sorry about that. Split second reaction. Friends?" Guile thought about it. Maybe if he had Charlie to train with, he could get built the way he wanted to. "Sure. Friends."  
  
Time passed, and the two of them became just that, the best of friends. Just as Guile hoped, Charlie trained with him, and over time, Guile not only improved his physical performance, but Charlie helped him with his fighting technique. Basic training passed by fast, and in no time, the two of them were stationed in Barksdale Air Force base. In time, the two of them soared up the ranks. One day, the two of them were training with the heavy bag in the gym. "Hey, your kicks are improving!" Charlie was impressed. The reach on Guile's kicks has improved greatly, especially his sweeps. His punches were stronger too, and his back fist was especially powerful. Charlie figured it was time he let Guile in on a little secret. "Hey, Guile, you think you're ready to learn some stronger attacks?" Guile wondered what could be stronger than his punches and kicks. Still, he trusted Charlie. "Sure. What do you have in mind?" Charlie stepped away from the bag. "Do you know how to harness your inner strength?" Guile looked puzzled. "Here, watch me." Charlie stood in an open area of the gym, his right arm reared back. "SONIC BOOM!!!" he shouted. And with that, he swung his arm so fast that a whip of energy emitted from his arm. It twirled through the air until it landed smack dab in the middle of the punching bag across the room, ripping it in half. "Whoa," was all Guile could say. He wanted to learn how to harness energy like that.  
  
A year later, Guile found himself held captive by a band of soldiers in the Thailand-Laos border. What worried him was that these soldiers weren't with any national organization. Their uniforms were state-of-the-art body armor, and they were too well built to be with any of the native's militias. As his hands were tied to the branch of a tree, thoughts went through his head. He figured that his superiors put him on the MIA list, so all he could do is either pray for a way out, or hope for a quick death. That's when someone he knew paved a way out for him.  
  
The sounds of gunshots and fistfights rang throughout the camp. Guile figured that there was a black ops group coming to save him. However, he was surprised to find out that there was only one man who laid waste to his captors. When the smoke cleared, he saw a familiar face, M-16 in one hand, a soldier being dragged by the other. It was the first friend he ever made in basic training, and the last face he thought he'd ever see again. Charlie.  
  
"Charlie!" Tears welled up in Guile's eyes. His heart jumped into his throat. All he could think about was thanking God for his best friend. "They weren't going to come for you. I decided I wasn't going to let you die a prisoner in their hands." Charlie whipped out a knife and cut down his friend. "Besides, what are friends for?" Guile wrapped an arm around his friend. "I owe you my life." Charlie smiled back. "Then make it count for something."  
  
Guile remembered everything that was said that day. He couldn't save Charlie from Bison's attack, but he was going to make sure that he would avenge his friend's death.  
  
End of Chapter 1. 


	2. Chun Li

Street Fighter: Remembering Charlie  
  
Chapter 2: Chun Li  
  
Guile's thoughts of Charlie were broken by a single sob from Chun Li's throat. He turned to find a tear slowly streaming from her right eye. It was a shock for him. Li hadn't shed a single tear in the time that he's known her, and from what people have said about her, Guile knew that she hadn't shed a tear since the day her father died. It broke his heart to see her like this. Chun Li wasn't only a friend to Guile, but she was Charlie's lover.  
  
It was a few years ago. The US armed forces were announcing a joint operation with Interpol. Guile and Charlie automatically grimaced at the thought. As they walked towards the field from their barracks, they cracked jokes about the joint operation. Charlie took initiative in the wisecracking. "Shit, why should we need to work with any outside organization? It's not our battle. They should train those pussies better!" Guile chimed in. "I know. We're supposed to be soldiers, not errand boys. If these bastards think they can run us, they have another thing coming!" They both laughed. Guile had a thought. "Still, what do you think they want with us anyway?" Charlie continued his wise cracks. "Probably to teach their rookies how to do push-ups!" They both laughed again.  
  
Chun Li could hear their wise cracks all the way from the field. This was all the fuel she needed to make those two privates eat their words, and perhaps to even earn the respect of the other soldiers. In no time, all the soldiers were lined up on the field. Showtime, Chun Li thought to herself. "Good Afternoon. I am agent Chun Li Zhang, and I'm here on behalf of Interpol. By now I'm sure you've heard the news of our joint operation."  
  
Charlie couldn't resist. "Duh!" All the soldiers broke out in laughter. Chun Li remained unfazed. "I assume that was a Lt. Charles Nash behind the outburst." The laughing stopped. How did she know? Charlie thought to himself. "I'm quite familiar with your wise cracking. Do you mind stepping up to the front?" Charlie obliged. He figured that there couldn't be much that could go wrong. Once he was in front of the assembly, Chun Li decided to make an example of him. "Tell me, Lt. Nash, why do you think Interpol is conducting a joint operation with the U.S. armed forces?" Nash replied, "Because whoever you're facing is too much for you to handle?" The soldiers had to bite their lips to hold in their laughter. Chun Li remained unfazed. She rather liked his cocky nature. "Perhaps they might be too much for you to handle as well. The enemy we're facing is more dangerous than any army or any terrorist organization in existence. I'm talking about Shadowlaw." Charlie looked puzzled. "Shadowlaw? Never heard of 'em." Chun Li found her opportunity to capitalize. "You've never heard of Shadowlaw? I'm amazed!" Her sarcasm was winning the soldiers' respect, while making Charlie look like a fool. "Shadowlaw very well may be the biggest threat you'll ever face! I wonder if someone like you would be able to face them? I'm quite aware that you're a skilled fighter. Would you care to test your abilities against mine?" Charlie took only a second to think about it. He was twice her size, and very few could match his fighting skills. "Sure," Charlie replied. Immediately, he switched into an on-guard position. Chun Li didn't budge, only putting her hands behind her back. In Charlie's eyes, this was a golden opportunity. He threw the first few attacks, a barrage of punches and kicks. One attack after another, Chun Li dodged with little effort, taking small steps and sideswipes to dodge one punch after another. Charlie threw a backfist strike. Suddenly, without warning, Chun Li grabbed his punching arm and threw him. Charlie sailed through the air like a sack of potatoes, and landed on the ground with a gut wrenching "thud!" Even Guile winced in pain watching the impact. Still, Charlie wasn't done yet. Recovering from the throw, he rose to his feet and charged at her, screaming out loud. He threw a right punch aimed at her face. Suddenly, he felt a sudden impact in his stomach. Pain went throughout his body. He looked down at his stomach to find Chun Li's right foot smack dab in his abdomen. He looked up at her, and, still holding her side kick, she smiled at him. And with that, she dropped her leg, and he dropped to the floor. Chun Li then turned to the soldiers. "Believe me when I say this. Interpol is more than capable of taking care of situations like this. But with Shadowlaw behind several attacks and assassinations in recent years, we can't take any chances. We have to strike now, and we have to do it together."  
  
Later that day, in the Colonel's office, Charlie was called to meet with Chun Li. As Charlie made his way to the office, he rubbed his stomach, which still gave him pain. That pain was nothing compared to being humiliated in front of his comrades by a female half his size. Finally, he reached the office door. Looking at the glass window of the door, he took a deep breath and entered. As expected, the Colonel and Chun Li were already conversing while waiting for him. Upon his entrance, their conversation stopped. "Lieutenant Nash! Good to see you! I believe you've met agent Zhang of Interpol already." Taking it as a cue, Chun Li stood up to shake Charlie's hand. Raising an eyebrow, he obliged and accepted Chun Li's greeting. "I do apologize for my display earlier. I simply needed to make a point." On the verge of a snappy comeback, Charlie decided to bite his tongue. Seeing the strain in his eyes, Chun Li smiled. He's learning, she thought to herself. "Back to the matter of things," the Colonel interjected, "the reason why we're meeting now is because of Shadowlaw. Charlie, do you remember your black ops mission in rescuing your friend, Lt. William Guile?" "How could I forget?" Charlie replied. It was his decision to rescue Guile from the clutches of those mysterious soldiers. "Based on your description of the soldiers, we have concluded that those soldiers were part of the Shadowlaw organization. You see, we're not being asked to get involved. We're already involved." Charlie froze in his seat. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Chun Li continued. "Once we discovered this, we immediately decided that the organization is too much a threat for either of our organizations to handle alone. Joining forces is the best chance we have to neutralize Shadowlaw." All of this information was seeping into Charlie's head slowly but surely. "We're still compiling information on the organization as we speak, but what we do know is that the organization is headed by a man known as M. Bison?" Charlie raised an eyebrow. "M. Bison? What does the 'M' stand for?" "Don't know," Chun Li answered, "but that's beside the point. His grip goes as deep as weapons dealing and as dark as assassination. We found that Shadowlaw was behind the assassination of Mohandas Khan. He was a strong political voice in the push for peace between India and Pakistan." Charlie finally started to piece it all together. "And we couldn't reveal who was behind the assassination because we're still trying to learn about the organization ourselves." Chun Li smiled. He was finally getting the picture. "You're right. That, and we don't know how the public could handle the thought of a threat as major as Shadowlaw."  
  
Later that day, Charlie was training in the gym, pounding on the heavy bag. Normally, he would spar with Guile, but he had other matters to tend to this day. Chun Li stepped into the gym, dressed in a blue spandex jumpsuit and tank top. She began her preliminary stretching, stretching each leg and then slowly dropping into a split. It was at that moment that she caught Charlie's attention. Charlie couldn't help but stare at her shapely legs as she stretched her muscles. "I'm guessing those ballet classes came in handy, eh?" Charlie joked. Chun Li took the joke as an open invite. "Who said anything about ballet? I trained in wushu since I was 5. My dad taught me." With that, she rose from her split and started a form. Charlie's ballet joke wasn't too far off from what she did. Her punches and kicks were poetry in motion, with every twist and twirl as swift as the wind. Charlie couldn't help but be amazed, watching in awe as she displayed her powerful finesse and grace with every move. Then she took a pause and looked at Charlie. Suddenly, Chun Li directed her maneuvers at him! She wanted to see how well he could react to his attacks. Fortunately for Charlie, he learned a thing or two from that early afternoon. Instead of charging toward her, he shuffled back, blocking each punch and kick that she threw. With one punch she threw, he sidestepped, caught her arm and twirled her. However, instead of falling to the floor, she twirled to her feet and quickly took an on-guard stance. Charlie raised an eyebrow. I like her! He thought to himself. It was as if he was fighting a fantasy girl out of a Shaw Brothers movie. She smiled back and resumed her attack. This time, she had a surprise for him. She ran at him, but instead of firing rapid punches and kicks, she leapt up in the air, spread her legs as far as she could, and twirled as fast as a tornado. "SPINNING BIRD KICK!!!!!" she shouted. Charlie was once again dazzled at her extreme display of power and grace. This time, he couldn't block in time and fell victim to repeated kicks to his head. All he could remember was the impact of the kicks and the impact of him hitting the gym mat. And with that, Chun Li landed on her hands and hand sprang herself to her feet. Showing a hint of cockiness, she wiped away the single bead of sweat on her forehead with one finger. Charlie lay face up, catching his breath and trying to compose himself. Chun Li walked to him and straddled his torso. "That's twice in one day, Mr. Nash", she smiled at him. They looked deep into each other's eyes. Charlie had her right where he wanted her. In a split second, Charlie pushed off of his heels and flipped Chun Li onto her back. Pinning her down, he teased her. "Spoke too soon," he replied. Looking deeply into each other's eyes, they shared their first kiss.  
  
Back in reality, Chun Li looked at Charlie's tombstone. She couldn't believe that the man she loved had been taken from her. Since her father's death, she hadn't shed a tear for anyone. However, this moment was so much for her, she couldn't help but let a single tear flow from her eye. Guile caught a glimpse of her tear, and taking that as a cue, he wrapped his arms around her. And with that, she began to uncontrollably sob as the tears she held back flowed free. "Why did God have to take him from me? Why?" she asked herself over and over again. Suddenly, a voice came from behind them. "God didn't take Lt. Nash away from you. Bison did." Guile and Chun Li turned to look. It was Colonel Sawada.  
  
End of Chapter 2  
  
Special thanks to all who have sent their replies regarding the first chapter. I hope that you have enjoyed this chapter, and I hope that you will enjoy Chapter 3 and the Epilogue just as much. 


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